Unemployment

For a while there, my Midwest mind thought this was welfare. In this Corona Virus era, it sort of is. A TON of people qualify for this. Even gig workers or perpetually underemployed.
I use to think that we paid into this fund as employees. I worked for 20 years and never used it, thinking...well, it's welfare. It's not.

When I spoke to my neighbor (who owns a small business) she encouraged her workers to take it. In this case, Federal government stepped in and added an extra $600 per check. I think it was to goose the economy. And since so many people died due to the virus recently, there is a little bit more unclaimed taxes to be hidden (heh heh heh, I'm just kidding Jesus). She also told me that in California they are overlooking the typical hurdles one use to have to go through to collect. No businesses seem to dispute any claims now (when they use to). So get it while you can.

Grimness aside, take the unemployment. I calculated what my employer paid into it. Which is about 6.2% of the first $7000 you make. In the end, those 20 years that my employer paid into it, sort of paid off. HOWEVER, this is not to say this colossal shit show of a lockdown isn't going to cause a deficit. As before, businesses pay into this. So if businesses close, they can't pay into it. Me smart.

I think that's why a lot of large business are getting the bailout. Smaller business don't pay as much of this "pot" so doesn't seem like Unkie Sam cares about them.

In the case of "gig workers" if and when this blows over, I can guarantee those businesses are about to get hit hard with taxes. They have ZERO overhead and raking in money based on other people's labor.
Getting back to work is the surest way to level out that pot. Because some states don't have enough to cover their unemployment rate. The trick is to level that out to where the actual benefits DON'T exceed their weekly pay. Because...then, what's the point of getting off unemployment.

In case you assholes think America isn't great, this is a reason why. Yeah, my home country of Taiwan pays all expenses during this time when no one can work, because they are somewhat socialist. But that is a TINY country. Less than the population of California. For a country like America to implement this is pretty damn cool.